Why does above par mean good in normal speech, but bad in golf?
Why does above par mean good in normal speech, but bad in golf?
I understand the concept of par–you want to hit below par in golf, because you hit below average, and you want as few hits as possible. So, in golf, "above par" would mean that you didn't do well. Yet, in the real world, "above par" has turned into an idiom that means "better than average". I guess what I am asking about is the etymology of this phrase. Because somewhere along the way, someone must have messed up.
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4 Responses
2.2.2010
Par is just another way of saying average. In golf, the lower the score the better, so under par is good.
2.2.2010
Nobody messed up, it's really a matter of perspective.In this usage, par essentially means "expected average."In golf, the goal is to get the ball in the hole in fewer strokes than the expected average (staying under par). So being under par is better in this instance.In life, the goal is to exceed the expected average (being above par). So being above par is better in this instance.
2.2.2010
The difference comes from the use of the word "above". In golf someone's score is either par (the rated number of strokes one should need to make the hole), below par ( when one makes the hole using fewer strokes than what is rated), and over par (using more strokes than what is rated for the hole). In golf it is over par rather than above par. By using the phrase "above par" in general conversation rather than "over par" we're saying that something is above average. I hope that makes sense and helps you out.
2.2.2010
Because "par" concerning other things is short for "parameter". If you are above parameter then you are better than normal.